Girl's remains to be returned

The remains of 9-year-old Tiffany Elizabeth Nelson, who disappeared in 1994 and whose skeletal remains were found this May, are being returned to her family after authorities completed forensic testing, officials said Thursday.

Gary Nicholson, special agent in charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Thomson office said Tiffany's remains had come back from the state's crime lab.

Police are still searching for clues into her death. They have assembled more than 50 volunteers to comb several acres of rural land in Burke County, off of Farmers Bridge Road, where Tiffany's remains were found, and more volunteers are sought.

No one 16 or younger will be allowed in the search area. All volunteers must call in advance to have their names placed on a list.

To sign up, call the sheriff's office at 821-1056 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., through today. The search team will assemble at 8 a.m. Saturday at Hephzibah Elementary School, 2542 Georgia Highway 88.

Police are looking for suspect in shooting

Police are seeking a Hephzibah man in connection with a drive-by shooting that occurred earlier this year at a Hephzibah residence.

Oneil Nash, 25, has outstanding warrants for aggravated assault and criminal damage to property in the first degree in connection with the shooting, Richmond County sheriff's Investigator Glen Rahn said Thursday night.

The incident occurred March 22 at a house in the 3500 block of Dayton Drive, police said. A woman who lives at the residence was standing outside of the house but was not injured, police said. The house was struck twice by bullets.

Mr. Nash's most recent listed address was in the 2600 block of Crosscreek Road.

Anyone with information of Mr. Nash's whereabouts should call the Richmond County Sheriff's Office at 821-1080.

Store clerk reports robbery, sex assault

Richmond County sheriff's deputies are investigating a case in which a convenience store clerk said she was robbed and sexually assaulted early Thursday morning.

The 30-year-old clerk said that at 12:40 a.m. while at the Kangaroo station in the 4100 block of Windsor Spring Road in Hephzibah, she went outside to read the gas pumps and when she went back in, a man in a camouflage mask forced the doors open.

She said the man demanded money, then forced her to go into a back office and forced himself on her. The amount taken was not disclosed.

Soldier to be discharged after his confinement

A soldier of Fort Gordon's 67th Signal Battalion will be confined for eight months and discharged for aggravated assault and failure to obey orders while deployed to Kuwait, officials said Thursday.

Marla Jones, a civilian post spokeswoman, said Spc. Joshua Burr pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon and failure to obey the orders of a noncommissioned officer during a court-martial Aug. 16.

The soldier was sentenced to a reduction in rank to private, confinement for eight months and a bad-conduct discharge, Ms. Jones said.

The soldier was deployed to Kuwait and was serving as part of a force protection unit for Camp Buehring.

Mobilization ceremony to be held this morning

Fort Gordon will hold a mobilization ceremony for soldiers of the 3297th Army Reserve Hospital today on Barton Field.

The ceremony starts at 9 a.m., a news release states. About 175 medical soldiers will deploy to 18 Army hospitals in the United States and Germany for about 18 months, filling in for active-duty soldiers serving at other military hospitals.

In November, about 170 soldiers from the 3297th deployed for 18 months to Army hospitals in the U.S.

Blood center to have opening ceremony

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony today for the new Shepeard Community Blood Center location in Evans, a news release states.

The ceremony will be at 1:30 p.m. at the new location, 460 N. Belair Road, next to Dr. Asma Fischer's office near Fatz Cafe. For more information, call 737-4551.

Students to get info on military academies

U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, both Georgia Republicans, will hold a service academy day for Georgia students interested in the nation's military service academies on Sept. 17 in metro Atlanta, a news release states.

Representatives from all five service academies will be on hand to answer questions. The event is free and open to students in grades eight to 12, the release states.

It will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Naval Air Station Atlanta, 1000 Halsey Ave., Hangar 5, Marietta.

Students who plan to participate should bring a Social Security number, the number of guests attending with the student and contact information. Reservations are required and everyone must have a valid photo ID to enter the air station.

For more information, call Theresa Milligan at Mr. Chambliss' Atlanta office at (770) 763-9090 or (404) 210-1841, or e-mail theresa_milligan@chambliss.senate.gov.

No evidence supports father's allegations

Police said Thursday that they had ruled accusations of abuse against a Columbia County assistant principal as "unfounded" and had closed the investigation.

The father of a 5-year-old pupil at Brookwood Elementary School told police that Assistant Principal Barbara Gleitsmann grabbed his son Aug. 10. The man said he saw Ms. Gleitsmann grab and snatch his son twice at the school on South Old Belair Road, according to a police report.

"After a comprehensive investigation, there was no evidence to support the allegation, and the case was closed as unfounded," Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said.

In a separate case, Ms. Gleitsmann still faces two misdemeanor counts of violation of duty concerning allegations that she did not report complaints of improper touching by a substitute teacher in May.

Certificate classes to be held at high school

GED preparation and other certificate classes will be held at Lucy C. Laney High School.

In partnership with Augusta Technical College, the Richmond County Board of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Center is offering certificates in the areas of application software specialist and basic shielded metal arc welding.

Registration will continue through Sept. 1 from 4 to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the school, 1339 Laney-Walker Blvd.

For more information, call Site Coordinator Kathy Maddox at 823-6677.

Man is indicted in assault on officer

A man accused of attacking an off-duty Grovetown Department of Public Safety officer in June was indicted on eight felonies in connection with the incident, according to court records released Thursday.

A Columbia County grand jury indicted Billy Charles Pate, 44, of the 100 block of Chinnok Circle in Grovetown, on charges of burglary, stalking, possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, interference with government property and four counts of aggravated assault in addition to eight misdemeanor traffic charges.

Police say Mr. Pate confronted Cpl. Robert Eastman at his home June 21 about a "domestic situation." Police say he then attacked Cpl. Eastman.

Cpl. Eastman has since recovered from his wounds and returned to work this month.

Robbery suspects are indicted on charges

Two men who police say robbed a Harlem convenience store using a knife in July were indicted on charges in connection with the incident, according to court records released Thursday.

Timothy Wayne Osborne, 38, of Langley, and Tifiloe Maurice Council, 32, of Aiken, were indicted on armed robbery and terroristic threats charges, according to the indictment. Mr. Council faces additional charges of possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and several misdemeanor traffic charges, according to the indictment.

Police say the two men entered the Pumpkin Center Store on Appling-Harlem Highway at about 2 a.m. July 7 and held a knife to the cashier's throat, forcing her to open the cash register. Police say the pair headed east on Wrightsboro Road with about $150 in cash and were spotted and then pursued.

Mr. Osborne was arrested after the car crashed into a car and then a power pole near Old Wheeler Road. Mr. Council fled into a nearby wooded area but was arrested a few hours later.

Self-inflicted gunshot wound is fatal to man

An Augusta man committed suicide just after 7 a.m. Thursday in a church parking lot.

Clifton Rice, 30, of Augusta, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the chest in the parking lot of Good News Church at 400 Warren Road. Mr. Rice shot himself, said an investigator with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office.

His body was found by crane operator Eryc Riddle, who was taking the steeple off of the church.

Further information is pending autopsy, said assistant county coroner Charlena Graham.